A new study indicates that people who drink four cups of caffeinated coffee each day lower their risk of developing mouth or throat cancer by about half when compared to people who drink little to no coffee. Researchers are urging caution because much needs to be done to confirm this information. To this point, it’s not as though the research team is recommending people drink four cups of coffee every day.

The information appeared in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Mouth and throat cancer aren’t often diagnosed in the early stages because symptoms usually appear later rather than sooner. The symptoms are sometimes mistaken for something else.

Previous studies were inconclusive on whether or not it was the coffee or caffeine that lowered the risk of cancer. This study utilized some of the information compiled from previous studies analyzing tea and coffee consumption. These studies showed that people who drank four cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 49 percent lower risk of death. The link wasn’t impacted by other factors, like gender, tobacco and alcohol usage.

The conclusion from this study is not that people should drink excessive amounts of coffee. Instead, the idea is that there are some benefits for people that regular consume coffee.